Apparatus for cutting or grooving road-beds



(No Model.; M. J. MGQUADE. APPARATUS POR CUTTING 0R GROOVING ROAD BEDS. No. 563`,874.

Patented July 14, 1896.

Ei i

UNITED .STATES PATENT FFCE MICHAEL J. MCQUADE, OF BAYFIELD, TVISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 563,874, dated July 14, 1896.

Application iiled February 2l, 1896x Serial No. 580,269. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, MICHAEL J. MCQUADE, a citizen of the Un ited States, residing at Baylield, in the county of Bayfield and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cuttin g or Grooving Road-Beds; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in appliances for use in forming grooves in the road-beds of logging'- roads.

It is an established custom among lumbermen in northern latitudes to transport the logs upon sleds during the cold weather of the winter season, and for the purpose of providing facilities for the more economical prosecution of the work, especially during periods when there is not sufficient snow to furnish sleighin g, it is customary to provide artificial surfaces for the road-beds by sprinklingl or flooding the road-bed and permitting` the water to freeze. It has been found road-beds thus provided with an ice surface, and more especially in rough and hilly lands, while they afford an admirable surface for the passage of the logging-sleigh runners, are at the same time seriously objectionable owing to the tendency of the sleigh-runners to sheer from the road-bed, especially at bends in the road and upon uneven ground.

The essential object of the present invention is to provide a sleigh having its runners furnished with adjustable mechanism whereby the sleigh in its forward movement over the logging-road will serve to automatically form grooves for the runners of the loggingsleighs.

To this end and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in the novel construction and in peculiar combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure l is a perspective view of device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the runners. Fig. 3 is a like view of the opposite side of the runner. Fig. 4: is a vertical longitudinal section 'through one of the runners. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the cutting-blade.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, I do not deem it necessary to sh ow the entire sleigh, the same consisting of the runners B B, which in their general outline are of similar form to the runners of ordinary sleds, an d they are also connected together in the usual manner. As the runners are alike in every respect, excepting that they are right and left, so as to adapt each runner to operate upon its particular side of the roadway, a description of one of the runners will suffice in this connect-ion.

The body portion of the runner is preferably made thick and heavy, and is preferably of cast metal, though, if preferred, it may be made of wood or other substance adapted to the purpose. Y

Formed within the outer face of the runner, adjacent to its forward end, is a recess or chamber C. This recess is inclined at an angle of, preferably, about forty-five degrees, and its lower end wall C', which is adjacent to the lower edge of the runner, is at right angles to the direction of the length of the recess. This recess C extends entirely through the body portion of the runner, and is covered upon the inner face of the runner by means of a plate D, which is bolted to the face of the runner, as shown.

lNithin the chamber or recess C and integral therewith is tted a casing G2, extending longitudinally through which is a screwthreaded rod E, the upper end of which rod is continued upward in a straight line which is in conformity with the general direction of the chamber 0,'and at its upper end, above the upper edge of the runner, the rod is angled to receive a crank for use in turning the rod,

F is a block, of either wood or metal, which is placed within the chamber (Land is provided with a screw-threaded opening through IOO which the rod E passes. The upper end of the said block F is cut at an .angle corresponding With that of the upper end Wall of the recess.

F is a chisel, or gouge-shaped blade, the upper end of the shank of which is either attached to or, if preferred, may be formed integral with the block F. The lower cutting edge of the gouge-blade F' passes through a narrow recess F3 adjacent to the rear inclined Wall F4 of the chamber C. It will be seen that with this construction 4by turning -order to provide for the escape of the material cut by the blade, a curved recess F5 is .provided in the bearing lower edge of the runner in advance or the recess through which the 1cutting edge of the tool passes.

For the purpose of removing obstructions from the groove thus formed in the road-bed, I provide the runner upon its outer face and; immediately in the rear of the cutting-tool.

-just described with a curved plows'hare lori fender-plate I-l, Which fender-plate isattaehed l to apilate I,Which plate, with its fenderplate or blade attached, is vertically adjustable, thisi adjusting mechanism being the following:

J is a strip of Wood or metal which is secured to the outer face of the body of the runner land "extends from the top to the bottom edge of the runner. The outer face of this strip is considerably wider than its rear face, Which contacts With the face of the runner to which the strip is bolted. The rear face of the plate I is provided with a vertical dovetailed groove I' to receive the strip J, upon Which it is vertically movable.

K is a metallic plate bolted to the upper edge of the body of the runner, the outer end of the said plate extend-ing over and beyond the upper end of the vertical strip J, and through a vertical opening in said extended portion K is passed a rod L, the lower por tion of which .rod is yscrew-threaded and passed through a screW-threaded opening in a lugM upon the outer face of the plate l. The upper end of the said rod L is vangled to receive a crank for operating the screw, to raise or flower the plate I, and with it the fender-plate attached thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be.ne\v,.and'desire =to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an `apparatus for grooving road-beds, the combination With an :adjustable 'gouge-cutting knife mounted on'a block carried Within a recess in the runner, of the fender ll mounted on a plate vertically adjustable ou a dovetailed guide-piece, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two'witnesses.

MICHAEL J. vl\lc`QUAl)E.

Vitnesses:

ARTHUR E. JoNns, ANDREW Kind. 

